Grand Reopening Showcases Govero Salon's Non-Stop Growth

Robert Govero admits to being a risk taker. It's part of why his salon business has grown so aggressively over the past five years. Govero Salons became a Goldwell Titanium partner in 2017, and income has risen more than tenfold since opening. He employs more than 50 staff, and the recent renovation more than doubled the size of his salon in Clayton, MO, one of the two he owns in the area. "Even during the renovation when we had everyone consolidated in our other location and doing split shifts, we experience 30% growth," he notes. "My team was really amazing."

The renovation grew his space from 1000 sq ft. to 2400, and the re-opening celebration in April welcomed 150 guests, including the Mayor of Clayton. A showpiece of the new space is it's Goldwell Color Bar, which borrows numerous lighting, color, and design elements from the Goldwell New York Academy. "The color bar is really a highlight of the new look, and because clients can see it, we designed it with small wash sinks and other features that encourage everyone to keep it clean," he says. "We even keep touch-up paint on hand, so the bar always looks pristine."

Robert's approach is bold, and he does nothing on a whim. He's a data guy who keeps a careful eye on every KPI and whose strategy is laser-focused. From who and how he hires to how he handles retail in his stores, the Govero model drives growth in a number of ways:

Hire early, train intensively

Robert continually brings in young stylists just out of school, and instead of handing over clients, he gives them tools to bring in their own. "I tell them to mine the networks they already have, use social media, and borrow my voice until they get their own," he says. "I provide scripts and shortcuts they can use to promote themselves and harness social media engagement to build a book."

One thing Robert has learned over the years is to plan for attrition. Only a small percentage of new stylists will fit into his salon's culture and make it through his associate program, so he hires continually– actively pursing students who demonstrate social savvy and a knack for self-promotion.

Leverage Goldwell Salon Alliance to the max

Robert is a huge fan of the Goldwell Salon Alliance program, and he makes it a key part of how he trains and motivates his team. "We thought at first that benefits like health, dental, vision insurance and SIMPLE IRA plans would be the key to recruiting," he laughs. "But when you're hiring a 19 year-old, what they really want is a chance to travel to the New York Academy." Education is now a constant at the salon, and all his stylists are Master Colorist-certified.

Reinvest for tomorrow

Another Key to growth at Govero is that all profits are reinvested in providing education and creative opportunities to his staff. In addition, he has no retail commission program– all retail commissions goes directly into an educational account to fund their travel and training opportunities.

With so much going on at his salons, a third salon under negotiation, and nearly 30 years as an educator, stylist, and colorist under his belt, Robert has now "retired" from behind the chair to focus solely on managing his flourishing businesses. He's a fantastic Goldwell partner and a great example of what fearless management and lots of energy can accomplish.